


message recieved

by stilinskisderek



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Failed cooking attempts, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-10-24
Packaged: 2019-08-07 02:16:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16399490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stilinskisderek/pseuds/stilinskisderek
Summary: The one where Spencer feels the need to go out of his way to prove his love and Derek gives him all the reasons he doesn’t have to.





	message recieved

**Author's Note:**

> Recently fell in love with this absolutely beautiful ship, so much so that it’s become my all-time favorite and I’ve been dying to write something for my boys but writer’s block. But I did manage to finish something cute and short and I hope you guys enjoy it. <3

The moment he steps into their shared apartment, Derek already knows what’s going on and has to stifle a groan. Getting used to the smell of burning food, at this point, is wishful thinking.

The fire alarm goes off at the same time he hears a familiar tone hiss, “son of a bitch” as something in the kitchen clatters.

He drops his coat and makes his way into the area where Spencer is rapidly clicking his wrist, probably after sustaining a small injury from touching a hot tray with his bare hands despite how many times Derek has warned him against it.

Morgan takes the very few steps necessary to close the space between them, ignoring the ruined casserole, then he’s cuddling his boyfriend’s wounded hand between his own unharmed ones and bringing it up to the lips. He watches under dark lashes as Reid tilts his head back, a relieved sigh escaping from his parted lips as Derek peppers light kisses along the man’s knuckles and palm.

“Better?” Derek queries, rubbing his thumbs over the back of Spencer’s palm.

His lover nods but doesn’t meet his eyes. “I don’t know why I can’t get this right.”

“Spence…”

“No, seriously,” when he looks up, he seems livid. “Cooking is mostly about mathematics, measurements and such and I’m better in the subject than most but can’t apply it to do something as simple as making a meal? It’s ridiculous.”

Derek lets one hand free so he can take hold of Spencer’s unscathed one, “baby, listen to me, cooking isn’t about math. It’s about experimentation. Putting something together, messing up and improving it; learning to improvise and to create. You can’t always follow step by step especially after realizing that by doing that before, you made mistakes. You’re too safe about preparing a meal in every area but the one you should actually be cautious in,” he lifts the slightly blistered hand as an example which has the younger man rolling his eyes.

Spencer sounds more upset rather than defensive when he mutters, “I just wanted to do something nice for you.” 

His brows crease at this, “what are you talking about? You know I appreciate everything you do for me.”

The doctor huffs out a breath of air as if he doesn’t believe it. “Yeah but I never do anything special or romantic. You always take me out to these nice places and buy me these gifts that are always thoughtful no matter how big or small and you make me candlelit dinners with wine and my favorite desserts and you listen to all my rambling without a single complaint and you watch silent films with me even though you hate them and you always make sure I’m doing well, always wondering if I’m hungry or if I’m cold or if I need a new book to read, you always somehow know what I need when I need it and you just… you always make me feel… so fucking incredible every way you can and I don’t do half of the things you do for me. I don’t show you enough how much I love you. I feel like you’re getting the short end of the stick in this relationship. I just wanted to try, for the thousandth time, to do something, ya know, outside of what I usually do for you but I messed up… yet again.”

Derek’s speechless for a moment. He doesn’t know what to say because he can barely even begin to understand what came out of Spencer’s mouth. The words themselves made sense but the whole message did not because the idea that Derek wasn’t being treated fairly in their relationship was just about the most unrealistic thing he’s ever heard in his life.

“Spencer, the fact that you wholeheartedly believe you don’t show me how much you love me everyday… Maybe the little things you do just come so naturally to you that you don’t even notice them but I do. I notice all of it, every little thing, every single one.”

At this, the younger man releases a weak chuckle. “I don’t think there’s much to notice, Der.”

“I guess you’re not as observant as you like to think you are because there’s a lot.”

“Yeah? Like what?” Spencer questions, almost like it’s a challenge.

“Like how you always hold my hand or intertwine our pinkies or give me small pecks on my cheek or lips during cases when you think no one’s looking because you know more than anyone else how much I need something to anchor me during some of the more difficult ones,” and there had been a lot, “like how you cuddle me many nights even though I know you prefer being the little spoon. Like how you drove all the way downtown two weeks ago for those red velvet cupcakes I love so much, knowing there are places that are closer but going that far anyway because they’re my favorite and why did you do it? Because I looked sad when I woke up that morning. Some nights you make me tea and sit me down and read to me when I need to relax. Last week you drew me a bubble bath and stayed in there with me just letting me vent for like an hour before I fell asleep, head on your chest and you just let me stay there until we looked like walking raisins.” That bit earned him a snicker and he couldn’t be blamed for letting out a similar sound because Reid’s laugh is contagious.

“You took a whole two days off once to take care of me because I had a terrible ass case of the flu and only went to work after I forced your cute little butt outta here. I didn’t wanna go on my morning jog two days in a row and on the third time I almost didn’t do it, you forced _me_ out of bed to go on a jog with _you_  because you didn’t want me breaking routine a habit, even though we both know you hate doing anything athletic outside of the bedroom.” 

Spencer gasps and gently pushes Derek back with a hand to his chest as the older man frees a booming laugh before putting his hands up defensively, “hey, hey, I’m not complaining. We both know you’re my favorite athlete.” 

His boyfriend rolls his eyes, “you’re disgusting.”

“Says you. We both know how kink—“

“Okay okay,” Reid yelps, blocking his ears from whatever Derek was getting ready to say because as much as he lets go during sex, he still gets all flustered whenever his doings are recalled. “Back on topic please!”

“Well, the first time you gave me a morning blowjob was right after we got called in for a case and I got frustrated so you wanted to give me some ‘stress relief’ before work.”

“Derek!”

“Okay, fine. I’m just teasing but it is, if you really look at it, one way you show me that you care.” 

Spencer scoffs, “you’re ridiculous.”

“But you love me anyway,” he counters, “and you’re much better at showing it than you think you are so you’ve gotta stop being so hard on yourself over this. You make me happier than anyone else ever has and there has never been a moment where I was not one hundred percent certain about how you feel about me.”

Spencer cracks a wide smile before pulling Derek in, arms wrapped around his neck, for a kiss. His arms instinctively snake around Spencer’s small frame, pulling him until there’s no room left between them. The kiss is as soft as the look in Spencer’s eyes when Derek confessed that no one makes him happier than Spencer does and the older man practically melts into it, swearing that he momentarily goes boneless. Warmth spreads throughout his body knowing that no one else has that affect on him, knowing that the man he loves now understands this. 

They kiss until they’re breathless and when they pull apart, Spencer’s still smiling.

“Message received,” he says, voice almost a whisper like telling a secret, then louder, “I still wanna learn how to cook though.”

“Well how about tonight we just order in and then I give you a massage and tomorrow night, I buy everything we need to make my mom’s famous lasagna and we cook together? Less chances of mistakes if you have a teacher.”

Spencer hums, “sounds like a plan.”

“Good, it’s a date.”

**Author's Note:**

> (special thanks to Sam for title and summary <3)


End file.
